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Indian budget less transparent: Anti-corruption watchdog

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New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) India’s budget is considered “less transparent” as it provides limited information in the public domain, Transparency International India (TII) said on Wednesday, adding the lack of transparency would lead to severe economic and financial problems.

“Despite its utmost importance, the state budget in India remains one of the most intractable of documents, incomprehensible for ordinary citizens, specialists and non-specialists alike, making it difficult for the citizenry to participate in shaping public policy,” the anti-corruption watchdog said in a statement.

“It is worth noting that on parameters of international standard on budget transparency, the Indian budget is considered as less transparent as it provides limited budget information in the public domain.”

India scored 48 on 100 in the Open Budget Survey of 2017.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present the budget for 2018-19 on Thursday.

As part of its advocacy initiatives for transparency in budgetary process and fiscal accountability, the TII has prepared a report on global best practices using research through secondary resources, feedback with citizens and activists from diverse backgrounds.

The objective of the report was to highlight the process-related inadequacies and gaps in budgetary process in India and need for improvement, it said.

The anti-corruption watchdog said that major world powers had better transparency in their budgets, thus making for a nation to emerge as a promising democracy.

“Bangladesh has better transparency than India in its system,” it added.

The TII said the knowledge of the budget should not be limited to experts and specialists as it was in violation of democratic rules and good governance as well as leads to severe economic and financial problems related to the spread of corruption and waste.

“It’s high time now for a citizen’s budget for easy understanding of the total budgetary revenue and expenditure statements, the mid-year review pre-budget statement and the audit report to be published on time, and not published online or produced only for government use,” it said.

“Public participation in India’s budget is not more than news viewer, while oversight by the legislature on actual expenditure is very limited. Budget in India is still more or less exclusive domain of civil servant due to quite complex system and procedure.”

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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